THE CANADIAN PRESS
WINTER PARK, Colo. — Dustin Cook spoiled the party at the U.S. national alpine championships.
Cook claimed the super-G crown Friday for his second U.S. title after winning last year’s downhill championships.
The 23-year-old from Ottawa finished first in a time of one minute 10.34 seconds, just four-hundredths of a second ahead of Tommy Ford, who will be the official U.S. super-G champion as the top American racer on the day.
Cook, who has never won a Canadian championship, said his U.S. counterparts were gracious about his victory — to a point.
"They were like, ‘You are not going to be invited back next year,"’ said Cook. "My year has been pretty rough. I just wanted to (finish strong)."
Americans Jared Goldberg and Brennan Rubie were tied for third with a time of 1:10.40.
"It was a little ragged out there, the snow was pretty soft, which normally I don’t like," said Cook. "But I think I (nailed it) pretty good at the bottom. It was such a tight race."
Cook was the only Canadian competing in the super-G, which featured 73 U.S. skiers, three Norwegians, two Japanese and New Zealand skiers and one Czech racer.
Cook also won without the aid of an on-site serviceman or support team.
"There’s spring series in Canada but I really wanted to do some speed so I came here," said Cook, who didn’t get the chance to compete in downhill or super-G at this month’s Canadian Championships in Le Massif, Que., because both events were cancelled due to unseasonably warm temperatures.
"My serviceman prepared the skis in Le Massif. I just scraped and brushed them last night. Everyone in the start is putting on overlays and I don’t have anything.
Cook started 13 World Cup races in the 2011-12 season but his best result was a 35th-place finish in the super-G in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Feb. 24.
World Cup star Julia Mancuso won the ladies’ super-G Friday. Devon Clarke of Waterloo, Ont., was the top Canadian with a 19th-place finish.